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APPENDIX A:
LIST OF KEY CONTACTS
Invited and agreed to participate
- Nicholas Bala
Queen’s University, Faculty of Law
Kingston, Ontario
Recognized as one of Canada’s legal researchers in the area of high conflict divorce. Appeared before the Special Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access.
- Robbie Behr
Family Law Support Services, Saskatchewan Justice
Saskatchewan Justice has conducted research about identification and streaming of high conflict families.
- Sally Bleecker, MSW
Ottawa, Ontario
A family therapist in practice since 1975. She has conducted family assessments on a fee-for-service basis since 1990. Former coordinator of the Parent Child Supervised Access Program of Ottawa-Carleton.
- Janet Claridge, MSW
Ottawa, Ontario
A therapist in practice since 1986, working with children and couples. Conducts family assessments for the Ontario Office of the Children’s Lawyer.
- Rhonda Freeman, MSN
Families in Transition
Toronto, Ontario
Director of a large program for high conflict divorced families and children. Appeared before the Special Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access.
- Eric Hood
Clark Institute of Psychiatry
Hamilton, Ontario
A Canadian researcher and clinician working with high conflict divorced families. Appeared before the Special Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access.
- Lena Jones, MA, Psychologist
Ottawa, Ontario
A family therapist in private practice. Has conducted custody/access assessments on a fee-for-service basis since 1971.
- Arthur Leonoff, Ph.D, Clinical Psychology
Ottawa, Ontario
In private practice with individuals, couples and families. Has conducted custody/access assessments on a fee-for-service basis for more than 20 years.
- Lorraine Martin, MSW, and, Rachel Birnbaum
Office of the Children’s Lawyer, Ontario
Coordinate legal services for children in high conflict families.
- Susan Woolam, MSW
Ottawa, Ontario
In practice since 1985. Social worker with the Ottawa Board of Education; also therapist in private practice with families and children. Conducts family assessments for the Ontario Office of the Children’s Lawyer.
Invited but declined or was unavailable to participate
- Jack Arburthnot
Recognized as a developer, innovator and researcher in the area of education programs for divorcing parents and children.
- Howard Irving
University of Toronto, Faculty of Social Work
Toronto, Ontario
Recognized as one of the developers and innovators of family mediation as an alternative system for dispute resolution. Has researched the immediate and long-term effects of mediation for high conflict families. Appeared before the Special Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access.
- Janet R. Johnston
Centre for Families in Transition
Corte Medera, California
Internationally recognized as one of the main researchers of the effects of divorce on children. Has written extensively on the effects of divorce on children and has developed a typology for identifying high conflict families.
- Peter Jaffe
London Family Court Clinic
London, Ontario
Internationally recognized for his research into domestic violence and specifically violence in high conflict custody disputes.
- Gary Austin
London Family Court Clinic
London, Ontario
Internationally recognized for his research into domestic violence and specifically violence in high conflict custody disputes. Appeared before the Special Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access.
- John Dunne, Psychiatrist and Researcher
Seattle, Washington
A clinician and researcher who has researched the effects of new legislation and programs for divorced families in Washington State. Appeared before the Special Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access.
- Rosalyn Goffman, Psychologist
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Appeared before the Special Joint Committee on Child Custody and Access representing a group of mental health professionals who conduct family assessments.
- Judith Wallerstein
Centre for Families in Transition
Corte Medera, California
Internationally recognized as one of the main researchers of the effects of divorce on children. Has conducted a 5, 10, 15 and 25 year follow-up of children from divorced families.
